When beloved members of school communities choose to retire after decades of loyal service, most would be excited for a small party with cake and a card filled with handwritten, heartfelt sentiments. But when a security guard at the Hockaday School retired after thirty years on the job, his school community spontaneously came together to offer a fitting farewell to the man who had guarded its students: A check for $185,000.
Kifleab Tekle had served as the school’s “Hagrid” for many years, protecting its all-female student community from threats and intruders since moving to the United States more than 30 years ago from Ethiopia. Tekle was so dedicated to his work as a guardian for the school, he once broke his arm while chasing an intruder from campus grounds.
So, when this pillar of the school community announced his impending retirement on April 1st, several alumni from the class of 2005 formed a GoFundMe online fundraiser with an initial goal of $2,000 to offer to Tekle as a thank you for his many years of service. “We know how much Kief means to everyone!” the campaign’s organizers wrote on the page. “It wasn’t an April fools joke, he is really retiring. We would love to collect money for a retirement gift for him. We are so excited that alumnae, current students, and parents are all donating.”
Current and previous students, parents, and faculty all contributed to the campaign. In the end, the campaign raised $185,000 contributed by almost 2,000 donors. The school held a farewell event at which the check was presented, with over 200 people attending.
Alumni and families told stories of their friendships with Tekle, with tears being shed by more than a few. Headmistress Liza Lee spoke, too, of how Tekle had become foundational to the school’s student experience: “For 30 years, Kief was the emperor of the parking lot and carpool, and for all those years, Kief has been the heart and soul of Hockaday. He has given us lessons in grace, lessons in courtesy, and lessons in love.”
As for the man of the hour himself? “I was not expecting such a big farewell,” Tekle said in a statement released by the school. “It means stability for my family.”
Photo credit to The Scoop/Dallas News
Additional ISM resources:
The Source for Development Directors Vol. 12 No. 3 Donor Recognition: Appealing and Gratifying to the Donor
Additional ISM resources for Gold Consortium members:
I&P Vol. 36 No. 14 Alumni Relations and the Portrait of the Graduate
